06-19-2009, 09:08 PM | #1 |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
Location: Breukelen (over the river from New Amsterdam)
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Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/18/...ef=mpstoryview
I believe despite what the article says, it's for uploading, not for downloading.... I've made my views about piracy quite known on Ironworks before, and I stand by them. Piracy has killed and is killing any music industry, and has reduced the album-as-art to single song soundbytes, while removing the ability of artists and surrounding professionals to make a sustainable living. It's theft pure and simple. However, the size of the fine is beyond ridiculous. The amount of misery they've caused this one woman is reprehensible. 3 years of court proceedings? Financial ruin? To make an example of her? The punishment doesn't fit the crime, nor does it take into account her situation. Ruining one woman's life doesn't bring back the years and art lost to piracy. Piracy is wrong, but two wrongs don't make a right. |
06-19-2009, 10:06 PM | #2 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 31, 2002
Location: Ireland
Posts: 5,854
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
But if you can't make an example of someone, how can you deter others from doing it? I too feel it's a ridonkulas amount and feel bad for her, I suspect it will be reduced. I also read that she was originally offered a 4-5k deal to settle this out of court but refused. Innocent, guilty or just stubborn?
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06-20-2009, 05:41 AM | #3 |
Vampire
Join Date: January 29, 2003
Location: Sweden
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
There's no way the music industry can get even a fraction of those people who download pirated material, so fines of this magnitude is the only way for them to get attention. By these high fines they hope to discourage others from software piracy.
Sort of a modern way of chopping of the hands of thieves. Not "fair" perhaps, but they hope to send a message.
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06-20-2009, 11:51 AM | #4 |
Knight of the Rose
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Consequently, there's no way they'll get even a fraction of the penalties from the woman in what remains of her life.
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06-20-2009, 12:18 PM | #5 |
The Dreadnoks
Join Date: September 27, 2001
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
What if "Lady Justice" were allowed vision?
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06-20-2009, 02:42 PM | #6 | |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Quote:
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06-20-2009, 08:11 PM | #7 |
Baaz Draconian
Join Date: April 26, 2002
Location: florida
Age: 42
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
that fine wont stop or even detur downloading of music; the probability of getting caught is so slim that the average person in their lifetime wont be prosecuted.
As for how they can 'catch you' there are a lot more programs out there than those two, and there are a lot more ways to keep your music on the hard drive hidden. The way of the future is in services that sell music online, the problem right now is that they want MUCH more money than the music is worth - eg 1 track for 1 dollar makes it cost as much or more than a CD, and its an MP3 or similar compressed music file so it is lower in quality than a CD (of course only an audiophile would tell the difference). I think that they should either drastically reduce the price per song, or sell the bandwidth on a monthly basis as per a low monthly subscription like an MMO. (of course i havent researched lately whats going on, this is based on my findings 2 years ago when i bought a total of 1 song and felt ripped off by itunes). Personally, i find that i do not have any need whatsoever of downloading music regardless of how easy it is....there just arent any new artists that are actually worth listening to. Its quite sad how weak the turnout is for talent in the industry. I most sorely miss the originality and passion of music from the 90s and since i didn't even know about the internet at that point in time of my life i actually have CDs of all of the artists from that decade that i liked. |
06-21-2009, 12:51 AM | #8 |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Actually that quite untrue. And if you upload a song and make it available for sharing the odds are you WILL get caught by the automated process I just mentioned.
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06-21-2009, 12:55 AM | #9 | |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Quote:
If you're relying on commercial radio or MTV or something to discover new music you'll be sorely disappointed. |
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06-21-2009, 01:07 AM | #10 | |
Very Mad Bird
Join Date: January 7, 2001
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Re: Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Quote:
As for value... The you're getting the single song for the 99c. In times past, to get that single song would mean you bought the album for $15. So instead of a $15 sale there's now only a $1 sale. Which means far less income for the artists. It means less experimentation for an album too. I bought many albums for one or two songs, and the less commercial songs grew on me. This is a way that new musical ideas get introduced into the lexicon and become mainstream. Imagine if films did that? Sold individual scenes. People downloaded a car chase and ignored the scene where the meaning of life was discussed. What do you think that would do to filmmaking? It may seem inconceivable to you, but artists actually made ALBUMS comprised of songs that flowed and jointly said something. This is why bands like ACDC refuse to break apart their albums to sell individually. The other thing is, it costs so so much money to make an album or a song, and you grumble at paying a measly dollar? People invest years developing their skills and putting it all together to make something to entertain you and $1 is too steep. Wow... maybe sing your own songs then? |
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